Worth
by Morganeth Taren'drel
Summary: an introspective for both Kyo and Yuki, written a while back. Winner of the Animaritime Fanfiction writing contest


**Worth**

**AN**: When I got Nickelback's latest CD this song jumped out at me as an instant favorite I just had to write something for it, and Fruits Basket kept popping into my head. So this is what I came up with. I'd like to thank my sister in-law for editing this story for me on such short notice! And I hope everyone enjoys!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own either the characters from Fruits Basket, or the lyrics from Nickelback's song.

Kyo jerked awake, his breathing ragged, sweat beading on his forehead, heart pounding in his ears. He lay on the floor of his bedroom. Rain was falling outside his closed window; he had tried to shut the sound out. Pushing himself up on trembling hands, Kyo tried to calm his breathing. He hated days like this, they always left him so drained. Sleep was inevitable, but something he desperately tried to avoid of late.

_Prison gates won't open up for me_  
_On these hands and knees I'm crawlin'_

His nights were a haven of dark thoughts that were impossible to escape - a simple, horrifying fact of his reality. He was the cat; there was no changing that, no escaping the fate that was laid out for him. Kyo knew his Shishou hadn't given up on him, but he couldn't let himself begin to believe one man could save him, no matter how much love he held for the cat.

_Oh I reach for you_

Pulling his legs up to his chest, Kyo dropped his head down to them, his arms wrapping him tight. He didn't have all that much longer to enjoy this life. Graduation was right around the corner, and then there would just be him, in that special room Akito had planed for him. Kyo could almost feel the darkness closing in. He didn't want to give in.

_Well I'm terrified of these four walls_  
_These__ iron bars can't hold my soul in_

Kyo forced himself to stand to remove himself from that near fetal position he had been huddled in. He could still remember back to his parent teacher conference. Shishou had wanted him to take his time; he hadn't cared if Kyo took twice the amount of time to decide what he wanted to do with his life. But what was the point in deciding when Kyo knew damn well there was not going to be a light at the end of that tunnel.

_All I need is you_

Tohru was the light in his life right now, a brilliant shining light that could almost make him forget everything dark about his life.

_Come please I'm callin'_

It was like she had somehow washed away his sins, forgiving him, accepting him, as he had never allowed himself to believe was possible.

_And oh I scream for you_

Kyo sighed, raking both hands through his orange hair. He couldn't expect Tohru to stand in the face of Akito and rescue him. He could not risk her getting hurt just for him. He could never forgive himself if he cost her that smile.

_Hurry I'm fallin'_

Pulling aside the door to his small balcony, Kyo looked out over the rain-soaked world. The sky had finally stopped its downpour, and although Kyo did not feel any more inclined to smell the passing scent of rain than he had been to hear the fall of it, he did feel the need to breathe fresh air. He felt closed in and trapped, his hands still shaking despite his best efforts to steady them. Breathing deeply of the fresh air, Kyo clenched his fist. _What's the point in thinking about this_? In the end, what could he possibly do?

"Kyo-kun?" Tohru's voice sounded from beyond his door, and he turned to see her slowly opening it. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah..." he answered softly, watching the smile blossom on her face.

_Show me what it's like_  
_To__ be the last one standing_

"Dinner's almost ready. Do you want some, Kyo-kun?" she asked, taking a step into the room. He didn't deserve her kindness, her concern.

_And teach me wrong from right_  
_And__ I'll show you what I can be_

Kyo nodded his head, "I'll come down in a couple of minutes."

She smiled, stepping back into the hallway, but she hesitated for a second. "Kyo-kun, are you feeling alright?"

_Say it for me_  
_Say it to me_  
_And I'll leave this life behind me_

"Yeah...I'm fine," he lied, seeing the relief in her eyes at his words.

_Say it if it's worth saving me_

WMWMWMW

Yuki looked up from his studies, a sigh escaping his lips. Usually, he liked grey days like this, especially when the rain was falling; that way he didn't have to face off with Kyo over anything. He could have a moment's peace - something he had been finding harder and harder to do, now that he was student body president. Placing his textbooks aside, Yuki looked out the window, wishing the sun would break through those clouds and shower his soul with some much needed light, even if it meant a confrontation with Kyo.

_Heaven's gates won't open up for me_  
_With__ these broken wings I'm fallin'_

His thoughts were darker than they had been in several months. It disturbed him that all he had gained over the summer, all that Tohru had given him was still not enough. He knew what was to come. Time was ticking like grains of sand slipping through his fingers; he couldn't hold onto them. In the end he would graduate, and it wouldn't matter how he left, or what people remembered; his time there would only be a memory. And his future with Akito would be the only future in front of him.

_And all I see is you_

Yuki stood up suddenly, stroking a hand across his eyes, berating himself. Was it just the weather that had him thinking like this? Or was he forcing himself to see things in a true light; to remove the rose colored glasses he had at some point allowed himself to dawn? He didn't like lying to himself, nor did he like facing his future. There was nowhere for him to run, no place he could hide. He had already tried it, and where had it left him? Really, no further than where he had started.

_These city wall ain't got no love for me_  
_I'm on the ledge of the eighteenth story_

Pacing the length of his room, Yuki sighed in frustration. He had learned so much over summer break, had found a strength he hadn't even been aware he had possessed. It had been a remarkable moment for him to face off with Akito and walk away still sure of himself. But really how long could that last? Would he be able to maintain it after he graduated? Yuki pulled himself up onto his bed and slid over to the window which was opened a crack. How would he fair on his own, when even on a sun-filled day there was no light in his life.

_And oh I scream for you_

_Tohru_, he sighed, seeing her smiling face in his mind's eye as he stared out over the grey world. She was the brightest light he had ever known.

_Come please I'm Callin'_

How did he deserve to be so close to her, to bring a smile and a beautiful blush to her already beautiful face? People might have called him a prince, but she was an angel.

_And all I need from you_

She was too special, a gift Yuki knew he didn't deserve. She was an angel that he couldn't risk getting hurt on his account. Yuki knew he'd never be able to forgive himself if she was hurt by Akito. He didn't want to imagine a world where he couldn't see her smile, but even more, it would destroy him to be on the inside and know she wasn't able to smile.

_Hurry I'm fallin'_

Throwing aside the window to let in a breath of fresh air, Yuki dropped his elbow on the edge and his chin upon one upturned hand. A dark sigh escaping him, what good would sitting here dwelling over these dark thoughts do? It infuriated him that he didn't have the strength to change the course of events, that no matter what he did now in the end it wouldn't matter. In the end he'd be back there in that dark room especially made for him. He'd never see the light again.

A soft knock on the door broke Yuki's dark thoughts. "Yuki-kun?" Tohru's soft voice penetrated the room from beyond the door.

"Honda-san, come in," he welcomed immediately shifting to the edge of his bed.

_Show me what it's like_  
_To__ be the last one standing_

"Are you hungry Yuki-kun? Dinner's almost ready," she told him with a touching smile, her cheeks blushing a pale shade of pink.

_And teach me wrong from right_  
_And__ I'll show you what I can be_

He didn't deserve her. "Thank you Honda-san," he smiled, "I'll be down in a moment."

Her smile widened at that, but she hesitated to leave. "Is everything alright Yuki-kun?" Her concern was so touching, but again, he didn't deserve it.

_Say it for me_  
_Say it to me_  
_And I'll leave this life behind me_

Yuki felt his lips turn up in a smile. "I'm fine Honda-san," he lied.

_Say it if worth saving me_

WMWMWMW

_Hurry I'm fallin'_

Both Kyo and Yuki exited their rooms at almost the exact same time, meeting each other in the hall as they did, their dark expressions met, but no words passed between them.

_And all I need is you_  
_Come please I'm callin'_

Enemies their vengeful spirits might have been - and they might have equally become enemies of each other - but one thing put them together if nothing else.

_And oh I scream for you_

Tohru

_Hurry I'm fallin'_

Together they walked down to the living room where the table had already been set; Shigure glanced at them both mutely as they sat down at opposite ends of the square table.

_Show me what it's like _  
_To be the last one standing_

The smell of Tohru's cooking filled the room, washing away the scent of rain, and closing them all in, in the comfortable familiarity of this happy routine in which they lived their lives.

_And teach me wrong from right_  
_And__ I'll show you what I can be_

Tohru stepped out of the kitchen smiling as she always was, a brilliant display of the beautiful way she looked each and every day.

_Say it for me_  
_Say it to me_  
_And I'll leave this life behind me_  
_Say it if it's worth saving me_

WMWMWMW

_Hurry I'm fallin'_

Tohru smiled at the two boys who had just come down. They had been so quiet today. Kyo, she had understood - rain always did this too him - but that didn't stop her from worrying about him. And Yuki too had been closed up in his room for much of the day. They had both looked so down when she had come to get them.

_Say it for me _  
_Say it to me_

She had felt a heavy weight settled over the house for several weeks now, though she could tell they were both trying their best to hide it from her. It touched her so deeply that they didn't want to make her worry. They were such kind people; she didn't deserve their concern.

_And I'll leave this life behind me_

Tohru was determined to repay them for all she had been given, determined to lift this hateful curse that had caused Yuki and Kyo so much pain. She wanted to see a time where they could both smile and laugh, and that dark, haunted look could finally leave them.

_Say it if it's worth saving me_

That would be worth anything.

Thanks for Reading!

Morganeth Taren'drel


End file.
